Britain Stoops to Conquer

robertguttman

When it comes to humor there are few levels to which the British will not stoop and, In "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum", Britain stoops to conquer humor in India. David Croft was in charge, so be warned not to expect Merchant-Ivory class or Bollywood sophistication. "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum" is a prime example of low British humor, which means that there are few depths below which they will not descend for the sake of a laugh. Not that the show isn't screamingly funny, it is. It is simply that you will hate yourself for laughing at it.

The series is set on a British Army base in India in 1945, during the closing days of World War II, A group of soldiers are trying to evade active duty at the front by serving in an entertainment unit. Their world is further polluted by a Colonel, a Captain, a Sergeant-Major and a group of Indian servants.

All of the characters are portrayed in the broadest possible manner. If "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum" had been produced in the U.S. (not that it ever could have been) the network would have been compelled to cancel it after the very first episode due to a veritable avalanche of protests from Indian civil rights organizations and LGBT defense groups.

That being said, it must also be conceded that "I's Not Half Hot, Mum" is very well written, impeccably performed and screamingly funny. It you don't mind politically incorrect humor, the kind where you hate yourself for laughing, but laugh anyway, this will be just your cup of tea.

score 8/10

robertguttman 18 October 2019

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5195879/